Subsurface safety valve

ABSTRACT

A ball type subsurface safety valve for wells, wherein the ball valve is closed by well fluid pressure and opened by control fluid pressure supplied from the surface. The ball is rotatable between stops at the open and closed positions on support pins on which the ball is longitudinally movable. A pressure equalizing valve is operated by control fluid pressure to equalize pressure across the ball valve before it is opened.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,850,242

Crowe Nov. 26, 1974 SUBSURFACE SAFETY VALVE 3,078,923 2/1963 TauSCll 166/224 s 3,151,681 10/1964 0 h 166/224 [75] Inventor Talmadge Cmwe, Houston 3,696,868 10/1972 T2516??? 166/224 s [73] Assignee: Bak er Oil Tools, Inc., Los Angeles,

Calif Primary ExaminerJames A. Leppink [22] Filed: Nov. 3, 1972 Attorney, Agent, or FirmBernard Kriegel [21] Appl. No.:' 303,482

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 286,151, Sept. 5, 1972, Pat. Nov 3,797,573, which is a division of Ser. No. 243,806, April 13, 1972, Pat. No. 3,771,603.

U.S. Cl 166/224 A, 137/460, 137/462, 137/495, 251/63.6

Int. Cl. E2lb 43/12, F16k 17/00 Field of Search 166/72, 224 8,224; 137/456, 458, 459, 460, 495; 251/63, 63.5

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1962 Page 166/224 S fia [57] ABSTRACT A ball type subsurface safety valve for wells, wherein the ball valve is closed by well fluid pressure and opened by control fluid pressure supplied from the surface. The ball is rotatable between stops at the open and closed positions on support pins on which the ball is longitudinally movable. A pressure equalizing valve is operated by control fluid pressure to equalize pressure across the ball valve before it is opened.

20 Claims, 24 Drawing Figures I E2151: .17.9- i 1 .MF 5 J8? i E 1 mo 1 i Pmmm vz 3.850.242

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Q Q www kw WNW SUBSURFACE SAFETY VALVE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of my application entitled Full Opening Safety Valve, filed Sept. 5, 1972, Ser. No. 286,151, now US. Pat. No. 3,797,573 which is a division of my prior application Ser. No. 243,806, filed Apr. 13, 1972 for Dual Safety Valve Method and Apparatus now US. Pat. No. 3,771,603.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the production of well fluids, such as oil and/or gas, from wells situated at remote locations, it has become the practice to employ automatic shutoff valves which are responsive to the pressure of well fluids so as to be actuated from an opened condition to a closed condition in the event of loss of well fluids as may be caused by various circumstances. For example, it may occur that a well located at sea may suffer damage which will allow well fluids to flow into the sea, not only resulting in loss of well fluids until the well can be killed, but also resulting in contamination of the sea water and the sea shore when oil escapes into the sea and drifts ashore. It is also desirable to prevent the uncontrolled loss of well fluids from remotely located onshore wells where damage may occur to the well head equipment resulting in the uncontrolled flow of the well until it can be killed.

Various valves have been heretofore developed for the purpose of automatically shutting off such a flowing well, at a subsurface location in the production pipe string, including sleeve type valves and ball type valves which have a substantially full bore opening therethrough and thereby cause no substantial restriction to flow. However, such ball valves experience operating difficulties, particularly when they are being opened and the well fluid pressure below the valve which is holding the valve closed is substantial, causing a high friction loading between the sealing faces and the surfaces of the ball with which they are sealingly engaged. Indeed, the operating means for shifting the ball to an open position may in some instances be destroyed.

The present invention involves the provision of an automatic subsurface shutoff valve of the ball type, wherein the ball is easy to manipulate from the closed to the open position, not-withstanding high well fluid pressure tending to hold the valve closed.

The present invention involves the provision of a control fluid operated by-pass valve incorporated in the shutoff valve assembly, so that as control fluid pressure is being supplied to open the subsurface valve, the pressure differential across the shutoff valve is first equalized, and then the shutoff valve is shifted to the open position.

In addition to the foregoing, the present invention provides a subsurface shutoff valve assembly wherein actuation of the ball valve to the closed position is assisted by a spring, so that even in the absence of sufficient well pressure to assure closure of the shutoff valve, the latter will be nevertheless closed and the sealing effectiveness of the valve will be maintained.

The subsurface valve of the invention may be incorporated in a string of production tubing and run into the well in the tubing string, and control fluid supplied through an auxillary control tubing extending into the well along side the production tubing. Alternatively, if the well is to be produced through the casing above the shutoff valve, the shutoff valve assembly may be run into and latched in place in a seating nipple and may be retrieved from the seating nipple by wireline tools. In this latter case, the control tubing from an appropriate source of control fluid pressure is connected to the seating nipple. The subsurface valve of the invention may also be incorporated in a plural valve assembly for controlling plural well zones, the valve assembly being landed in a tubing hanger which supports the production tubing in the well casing.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other purposes which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of forms in which it may be embodied. These forms are shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. They will now be described in detail, for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed descriptions are not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an offshore barge for producing a multiple zone well through plural safety valve apparatus incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse section, as taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse section, as taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4a and 4b, together, constitute a longitudinal section through one of the dual safety valve assemblies incorporating the invention, and showing the valve in a closed condition, FIG. 4b being a downward continuation of FIG. 4a;

FIGS. 5a and 5b, together, constitute a longitudinal section corresponding to FIGS. 4a and 4b, but showing the valve open, FIG. 5b being a downward continuation of FIG. 5a;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary transverse section, as taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 4a;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary transverse section, as taken on the line 77 of FIG. 4a;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary transverse section, as taken on the line 88 of FIG. 4b;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section, as taken on the line 99 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is an exploded detail view in perspective, showing a ball valve and removable side support for the ball valve according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary detail view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing the ball valve in a closed position;

FIG. 12 is a view generally corresponding to FIG. 11, but showing the ball valve moved downwardly towards an open position, but prior to rotation;

FIG. 13 is a view generally corresponding to FIG. 12, but showing the ball valve partially rotated to an open position;

FIG. 14 is a view generally corresponding to FIG. 13, but showing the ball valve in a full open position;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing another ball valve assembly incorporating the invention with the ball valve in a closed position;

FIG. 16 is a view, generally corresponding to FIG. 15, but showing the ball valve in an open position;

FIG. 17 is a transverse section, as taken on the line l7-17 of FIG.

FIG. 18 is an exploded detail view in perspective,

showing a ball valve and removable side support for the ball valve of FIGS. 15 and 16;

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary detail view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing the ball valve in a closed position;

FIG. 20 is a view generally corresponding to FIG. 19, but showing the ball valve moved downwardly an open position, but prior to rotation;

FIG. 21 is a view generally corresponding to FIGS. 19 and 20, but showing the ball valve partially rotated to an open position; and

FIG. 22 is a view generally corresponding to FIGS. 19 21, but showing the ball valve in a closed position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention will now be described as applied to the safety valve means of an offshore well which is being produced from multiple earth zones.

As seen in the drawings, referring first to FIG. 1, a well bore W extends downwardly into the earth below the ocean floor F through vertically spaced well fluid producing zones Z1 and Z2. A casing C is set in the well bore and perforations P in the casing establish communication between the productive zones Z1 and Z2 and the casing C. Set in the casing C is an upper packer P1 located above the productive zone Z1 and a lower packer P2 located in the casing between the productive zones Z1 and Z2. A first production tubing string T1 extends through the packer P1 and opens into the easing therebelow to communicate with the productive zone Z1, and a second production tubing string T2 extends downwardly through the upper packer P1 and downwardly through the lower packer P2, into the easing therebelow, for communication with the productive zone Z2. The tubing strings T1 and T2 may extend a number of thousands of feet downwardly in the casing to the packers p1 and P2 and the tubing strings T1 and T2 are supported by tubing hanger means TH which is set or anchored in the well casing and forms a seat for a shutoff valve assembly V which comprises dual shutoff valves V1 and V2 for the respective tubing strings T1 and T2. The tubing hanger TH and the valve assembly V are located below the ocean floor or the mud line of a body of water, at a desired or required depth of say 500 to 1,000 feet, more or less. The casing C extends upwardly through the water to a production platform or barge PP, as shown in the diagrammatic illustration. However, as is well known, the well may be completed at the ocean floor and one or a number of additional casings (not shown) may be set in larger diameter well bores, and the casing C may be suspended or hung from a casing hanger located at the ocean floor, in which case, a conductor pipe or other casing (not shown) may extend to the production platform PP. In any event, upper production fluid tubings T3 and T4 extend upwardly from the respective valves V1 and V2 of the valve assembly V and are connected with the usual christmas trees CT on the platform PP, whereby the flow of well fluids from the well zones Z1 and Z2 may be controlled or manually shutoff. Flow lines FL are provided to conduct well fluids from the christmas trees to suitable reservoirs or tanks (not shown).

As will be later described, the respective subsurface valves V1 and V2, which are normally closed, are adapted to be held open, to enable the flow of production fluids therethrough, by means of control fluid pressure supplied through a control fluid conduit CF, or

through a pair of such conduits, from a source of control fluid pressure CP. So long as the control fluid pressure is adequate to maintain the subsurface valves VI and V2 open, well fluids may flow from the zones Z1 and Z2 to the respective flow lines FL, but, if it is desired for any reason to close either of the shutoff valves V1 or V2, or in the event of damage of the control fluid tubing, the control fluid pressure may be reduced so that the subsurface valves V1 and V2 are automatically closed, thereby shutting the well in at a location below the ocean floor, to prevent continued production fluid flow.

The tubing hanger assembly TH and the tubing strings T1 and T2 are adapted to be lowered from the platform PP downwardly through the casing C on a setting tool, as more particularly described in the aforementioned application Ser. No. 243,806, and the valve assembly V is thereafter adapted to be lowered through the casing C into the tubing hanger TH on the upper tubing strings T3 and T4. Likewise, the valve assembly V can be retrieved from the tubing hanger TH, so that under normal circumstances requiring the repair or service of the subsurface valve assembly V, it is not necessary to pull the entire dual tubing strings T1 and T2.

The tubing hanger TH comprises a body 10 having an upper section 11 adapted to receive the valve assembly V in an orientation determined by sloped guide walls 12 leading angularly and downwardly from a peak 13, whereby the tubing strings T1 and T2 communicate through the valves V1 and V2, respectively, with the upwardly extending tubing strings T3 and T4.

As seen in FIGS. 2, 4 and 9 the control fluid conduit CF is connected by a fitting 170 to the upper valve housing 136 of the valve V1 and passage means later to be described in the housing 136 conduct control fluid to an outlet fitting 172 which is connected to a conduit 173 leading to an inlet fitting 174 for the lower valve V2. However, if preferred, plural control fluid tubings CF may be employed to supply control fluid pressure to the valves V1 and V2.

In this form, as seen in FIGS. 2 e 14, the valve assembly comprises the outer body 136 and an upper tubular sub or body 136a which is connected with the lower end of the tubing string T3. The upper body 1360 is threadedly connected at 175, at its lower end to the body 136 which in turn is threadedly connected at 135 to a flow tube 134 which seats in a bore or receptacle in the tubing hanger body 10, as described in said pending applications.

A ball valve 176 is disposed within the body 136 and has a passage 177 for the flow of well fluid when the ball valve is in the open position, with the passage 177 aligned with the body 136, the ball valve being rotatable as will be later described, to a closed position, in which flow of well fluid through the body 136 is prevented.

Normally, the ball valve 176 is biased to a closed position by a lower sealing and actuating sleeve 178 which is reciprocable in the valve body 136 between an upper position, as seen in FIG. 4b, and a lower position, as

seen in FIG. 5b. The sleeve 178 is piloted in a reduced bore 179 in the body 136, and the lower end of the sleeve extends into a bore 180 in the upper end of the tube 134. A coiled compression spring 181 is disposed between the upper end of the tube 134 and a seating shoulder or ring 182 on the sleeve 178, and biases the sleeve 178 and the ball valve 176 upwardly. Externally, the ball valve 176 has a spherical sealing surface 183 sealingly engageable by a companion sealing end surface 184 at the upper end of the sleeve 178.

Above the ball valve 176 is an upper valve actuating and sealing sleeve 185 having a lower end sealing surface 186 which is complemental to the spherical valve surface 183 of the ball valve 176. At its upper end, the sleeve 185 has an enlarged piston section 187 which is slidably disposed within a cylinder portion 188 of the valve body 136. Below the piston section 187 is a cylindrical section 189 smaller than the outside diameter of the piston section 187. Between the cylindrical section 189 and the cylindrical wall 188 is a sleeve 190 having an external seal 192 engaging with the cylinder wall 188. At its lower end, the sleeve 190 abuts with an upwardly facing shoulder 193. The difference between the annular cross-sectional area of the sleeve 190 and the annular cross-sectional area of the upper end 194 of the piston section 187 constitutes the net piston area of the piston section 187 exposed, as will be later described, to control fluid pressure to hold the ball valve 176 open. The piston section 187 extends into an annular space 195 defined between the cylindrical wall 188 and a sleeve 196 which is connected by suitable shear screws 197 to a skirt 198 on the lower end of the upper body section 136a, the sleeve 196 carrying a seal ring 199 engageable within the skirt 198, and the skirt 198 having a seal ring 200 engageable in the cylindrical wall 188. The control fluid passage previously referred to communicates through a port 201 with the annular space 195 which constitutes a control fluid pressure chamber in which control fluid pressure is operable on the net piston area of the piston section 187 of the sleeve 185 to provide a downward force adapted to overcome the upward force applied to the ball valve 176 by the lower valve actuating sleeve 178, when the ball valve 176 is to be opened by moving the ball valve from the position of FIG. 4b to the position of FIG. 5b, as the upper sleeve 185 is forced downwardly. When the over-riding control fluid pressure is relieved, the

. pressure of production fluid acts upwardly across the secondary sleeve 190 when the latter shoulders at 190a, as well as on the sleeve 178.

Preferably, the valve assembly includes resilient sealing means 202 engageable with the ball valve 176 when it is in the closed position. In the embodiment now being described, the resilient sealing means 202 comprises a seal carrier ring 203 having an annular elastomeric seal ring 204 engageable with the ball valve 176 externally of the seating surface 186 at the lower end of the sleeve 185. The seal carrier ring 203 is normally biased downwardly by a coiled compression spring 205 which seats against a seating ring 206 carried within the valve body 136.

The respective valve assemblies V1 and V2 are full opening valve assemblies through which remedial operations can be performed when the ball valve is opened. In order to provide a ball valve 176 of maximum diameter, the ball valve 176 is installed in the body 136 through a side opening 207 which is closed by a valve supporting closure member 208 which fits within the opening 207, and is sealed therein by a suitable seal ring 209. Referring to FIG. 3, it will be noted that the closure and valve support member 208 is adapted to be secured to the valve body 136 by a suitable number of fasteners 210, and the closure member 208 includes a guide section 211 having a bore 212 through which a tubular member constituting a portion of the other production fluid flow path may extend.

In order to support the ball valve 176 and cause rotation thereof in response to movement of the ball longitudinally between the sleeves and 178 according to this embodiment, the valve supporting member 208 has a pin or lug 213 projecting therefrom in aligned opposition to a corresponding pin or lug 214 carried within the valve body 136, and the ball valve 176 has at its opposite sides corresponding slots 215 in which the respective pins or lugs 213 and 214 are engageable for rotating the ball valve 176 between the opened and closed positions, as best illustrated in FIGS. 11 through 14. In these views, the side of the ball valve 176'supported by the closure 208 is illustrated, but similar structure will be understood to be located at the other side of the ball valve, also. In FIG. 11, the valve is shown fully closed and sealed by the sleeves 178 and 185 as well as by the resilient sealing means 202. In FIG. 12, the valve 176 has been shifted downwardly away from the resilient seal means 202 through an initial increment of non-rotatable longitudinal movement. In FIG. 13, the ball valve 176 is in the partially opened position. In FIG. 14, the ball valve 176 is in the fully opened position.

More particularly, the ball valve member 176 on each of its opposite sides has a chordal flat surface 216 adjacent to the diametrically opposite portions of the body 136 and the support 208. The slot 215 extends radially with respect to the axis of rotation to the ball valve member 176, and at right-angularly spaced locations, the ball face 216 is recessed to form a stop surface 217 and a stop surface 218 cooperable with fixed stop lug surfaces 217a and 218a on the closure 208 to limit rotation of the ball 176 between the extremes of FIG. 11 and 14. When the ball valve member 176 is in the position of FIG. 11, the stop surface 217 engages the vertical stop surface 217a, thereby limiting rotation of the valve member 176 to the position at which the valve is closed. The stop surface 218 engages the stop surface 218a, as shown in FIG. 14 to limit rotation of the valve member 176 to the position at which the valve is open. Such rotation between the open and closed positions is caused by longitudinal or vertical movement of the valve member 176 relative to the body 136. As previously indicated, the ball member 176 is actuated or shifted longitudinally by longitudinal movement of the upper actuator sleeve 185 and the lower actuator sleeve 178, as indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 12 and 13. The slot 215 is formed in such a manner as to cause such rotation of the valve member 176 as the latter moves vertically or longitudinally within the body 136. Thus, the slot 215 is formed in the valve member 176 by opposed walls which are disposed at a right angle to one another and designated 215a and 215b and which respectively are parallel to the stop surfaces 217a and 218a. At the apex of the angle defined between the walls 215a and 215b, the slot opens radially inwardly at 215c. Thus, the relationship between the pin 213 and the wall 2l5b is such that the and rotate the ball valve member from the position of FIG. 14 to the position of FIG. 11 upon upward movement of the valve member 176. However, it will be noted that when the valve member 176 is in the position of FIG. 14, the pin 213 clears the flat wall 215a so as to allow freedom of longitudinal movement of the ball valve 176 after the stop surface 218 engages the stop 218a, and correspondingly limited free downward movement of the ball valve 176 is permitted when the ball valve is open, as seen in FIG. 11, where the pin 213 clears the slot wall 215a, and the stop surface 217 engages the stop 217a. Such free or lost motion connection of the ball valve 176 and the rotation pin 213 relieves the connection of damaging forces when the ball valve is in either of its closed or opened positions, and in addition saves the resilient seal 202 from relative rotative movement of the ball valve 176.

When the ball valve 176 is closed and is to be opened by applying control fluid pressure to the piston chamber 195, there may be substantial differential pressure across the valve tending to hold it closed, and in accordance with the invention, in order to equalize the pressure across the valve, equalizing valve means 220 are provided, as best seen in FIG. 9, for establishing communication between a port 221 below the ball valve 176 (FIG. 4b) and a port 228 above the valve 176 (FIG. 4a), via the elongated passage 223 in the valve body 136. The port 221 communicates with the annular space 224 between the body 136 and the lower valve actuating sleeve 178 which communicates with the passage through the lower tubular member 134 through radial ports 225 in the upper end of the lower tubular member 134, when the valve 176 is closed, as seen in FIG. 4b. Above the ball valve 176, the skirt 198 of the upper valve body section 136a has a number of radial ports 226 communicating between the flow passage through the valve assembly and an annulus 227 which in turn communicates through a port 228 with a chamber 229 of the equalizing valve means 220. The equalizing valve chamber 229 is provided by a tubular insert 230 retained in a bore 231 in the body 136 by a sealing plug 232. Seals 233 and 234 on the insert 230 engage in the bore 231 and reduced bore 235. A valve member 236 is reciprocable in the insert 230 and has its lower end 237 provided with a seal slideably engaging within the insert 230 below inlet ports 239 in the insert which establish communication between the port 228 and the valve chamber 229, so that above the seal 238, the chamber 229 is exposed to the flow passage through the upper valve body 136a. At the upper end of the equalizing valve member 236 is a head 240 engageable with a seat 241 under the influence of pressure below the ball valve 176 supplied to an inlet chamber 242, above the head 240, via the passage 233 and via a radial port 243 in the body 136 and ports 244 in the insert 230. A rod 245 slidably extends downwardly through the lower end of the insert 230 and into the bore 235, and a coiled spring 246 engages the insert 230 and an adjustable spring seat 247 on the rod to provide a downward bias closing the head 240 against the seat 241. Leading into the bore 235 of the equalizing valve 220 is a port 248 which communicates with the control fluid chamber 195 of the shutoff valve means.

It will now be apparent that so long as the pressure differential across the closed ball valve 176 is such that well pressure in the equalizing valve chamber 2.42 and the force of spring 246 cause a downward force holding the valve head 240 seated, in excess of the force upwardly caused by control fluid pressure in the bore 235, there will be no communication between the ports 221 and 22 8, respectively, below and above the ball valve 176. However, as control fluid pressure is increased to open the shutoff valve 176, the increased pressure acts upwardly on the effective piston area at the lower end of the equalizing valve member 236 and will open the equalizing valve head 240, whereby pressure will equalize between the lower ports 221, through passage 223, ports 243 and 244, valve chambers 242 and 229, ports 239, and the upper equalizing port 228.

The effective areas in the equalizing valve means 220 and the force of the spring 246 are selected, as compared with the effective area of the shutoff valve actuating piston section 187 of the sleeve 185, so that the equalizing valve means 220 will open first, and thereby relieve the main shutoff valve 176 from the effect of differential pressure thereacross.

In order to assure that no back flow can occur when the shutoff valve 176 is open and the well is flowing 1 therethrough, a back flow preventing valve 223a is provided between the equalizing valve chamber 242 and the passage 223.

In order to enable control fluid pressure to be supplied to both of the valve assemblies V1 and V2 in the valve means V, as previously indicated, the control of fluid pressure chamber or bore 235 of the equalizing valve means 220 of the upper valve V1 has a passage 235a leading to the fitting 172, which in turn communicates with the lower valve assembly V2.

In the use of shutoff valves, such as the valve assembly V1 or V2, to control flow from a plurality of well zones, it may occur, under various circumstances, such as seal failure, that one or more of the shutoff valves will not open under applied control fluid pressure. In such event, it may be necessary to pull the shutoff valve means from the well in order to repair and replace the shutoff valve means. In the present apparatus, however,

. as more particularly described and claimed in the application of which this is a continuation-in-Part, means are provided whereby the valve Vl or the valve V2 may be opened mechanically and locked open to allow continued production from one or both of the wall zones Z1 and Z2. In addition, the present apparatus enables the use of an auxiliary or secondary shutoff valve, adapted to be run into and anchored in the locked open valve assembly V1 or V2.

As seen in FIGS. 4a and 5a, the sleeve 196 is held by the shear screws 197 in an initial upper position as previously described, and the sleeve 196 cooperates with the body 136 to form the control fluid pressure chamber or annular space 195. Initially released lock means 250 are provided, whereby, when the sleeve 196 is shifted downwardly, it will be locked in the lower position. When the sleeve 196 is shifted downwardly, it engages a shoulder 251 on the sleeve and shifts the latter downwardly to open the ball valve 176. A sleeve shifting tool (not shown) provides means for shifting the sleeve 196 downwardly, as more particularly disclosed in said pending applications.

The lock means 250 includes a resiliently contractable, split lock ring 252 having external upwardly facing buttress teeth 253. Beneath the lock ring 252 is an expander 254 which is secured to the sleeve 196 by fasteners 255 and has an expander surface 256 engageable within the lock ring 250 to expand the latter when it is lockingly engaged with internal teeth 257 within the body 136.

From the foregoing, it will now be understood that the ball valve 176 is opened after the equalizing valve means, so that the ball valve supporting and actuating means are relieved of the necessity of sustaining or overcoming large friction forces caused by differential pressure across the valve. Moreover, since the ball valve 176 has a slight lost-motion longitudinally of the assembly at the end of its rotation between open and closed positions, the ball supporting and rotating means are relieved of loading when the valve is closed, without requiring precision manufacture.

Referring to FIGS. 22, a somewhat modified construction is shown, wherein the ball valve 376 is also mounted for rotation between open and closed positions by means which enable the ball valve to have a slight longitudinal lost motion, and the ball is shifted by control fluid pressure to its open position. Without requiring illustration of the bypass or equalizing valve means, as previously described, it will be understood that, as seen in FIGS. 15 and 16, control fluid pressure is applied to the actuator means via a port 301, and fluid pressure across the closed ball valve (FIG. 15) is to be equalized when communication is established between the lower port 321' and the upper port 328, via the equalizing valve means, prior to movement of the ball valve 376 to the open position (FIG. 16).

In this form, the valve assembly comprises the outer body 336 and an upper tubular sub 336a which is, without requiring further illustration, connected with the lower end of the tubing string T3, like the previously described sub 136a. The body 336 at its lower end is suitably connected to the production tubing extending into the well.

The ball valve 376 is disposed within the body 336 and has a passage 377 for the flow of well fluid when the ball valve is in the open position, with the passage 377 aligned with the body 336, the ball valve rotatable 90, as will be later described, to a closed position, in which flow of well fluid through the body 336 is prevented.

Normally, the ball valve 376 is biased to a closed position by a lower sealing and actuating sleeve 378 which is reciprocable in the valve body 136 between an upper position, as seen in FIG. 15, and a lower position, as seen in FIG. 16. The sleeve 378 is piloted in a reduced bore 379 in the body 336, and the lower end of the sleeve extends into a bore 380 in the body 336. A coiled compression spring 381 is disposed between a lower seat (not shown) and a seating shoulder 382 on the sleeve 378, and biases thesleeve 378 and the ball valve 376 upwardly. Externally, the ball valve 376 has a spherical sealing surface 383 sealingly engageable by a companion sealing end surface 384 at the upper end of the sleeve 178.

Above the ball valve 176 is an upper valve actuating and sealing sleeve 385 having a lower end sealing surface 386 which is complemental to the spherical valve surface 383 of the ball valve 376. At its upper end, the sleeve 385 has an enlarged piston section 387 which is slidably disposed within a cylinder portion 388 of the valve body 336. The sleeve 385 is slidably disposed about an inner sleeve 387a which forms with the cylinder wall 388 an annular cylinder or piston chamber 395. At its upper end, the sleeve 387a has a cylinder head 387b abutting with a downwardly facing shoulder 387s on the body sub 336a, and having an external seal ring 387d which closes the upper end of the piston chamber 395. The piston section 387 of the actuator sleeve 385 has an external seal ring 387e engaging the cylinder wall 388 and an internal seal ring 387fslidably engaging the inner cylinder sleeve 387a. Thus, control fluid supplied to the chamber or annular cylinder 395 is adapted to act downwardly on the sleeve 385 to move it downwardly and slidably through a guide and stop 387g which is in the form of a generally U-shaped plate.

It will be understood that the invention is applicable to single string valves, but here again, a dual string valve is shown by way of background. In order to provide a ball valve 376 of maximum diameter, the ball valve 376 is installed in the body 336 through a side opening 407 which is closed by a valve supporting closure member 408 which fits within the opening 407, and is sealed therein by a suitable seal ring 409. Referring to FIG. 17, it will be noted that the closure and valve support member 408 is adapted to be secured to the valve body 336 by a suitable number of fasteners 410 (FIG. 17), and the closure member 408 includes a guide section 411 having a bore 412 through which a tubular member constituting a portion of the other production fluid flow path may extend.

In order to support the ball valve 376 and cause rotation thereof in response to movement of the ball longitudinally between the sleeves 385 and 378 according to this embodiment, the valve supporting member 408 has a pin or lug 413 projecting therefrom in aligned opposition to a corresponding pin or lug 414 carried on the ball 'valve 376 within a longitudinally extended slot 4140 on the valve body 336, and the ball valve 376 has a slot 415 in which the pin or lug 413 is engageable for rotating the ball valve 376 between the opened and closed positions, as best illustrated in FIGS. 19 through 22. In these views, the side of the ball valve 376 supported by the closure 408 is illustrated. In FIG. 19, the valve is shown fully closed and sealed by the sleeves 378 and 385. In FIG. 20, the valve 376 has been shifted downwardly through an initial increment of nonrotatable longitudinal movement. In FIG. 21, the ball valve 376 is in the partially opened position. In FIG. 22, the ball valve 376 is in the fully opened position.

More particularly, the ball valve member 376 has a chordal flat surface 416 adjacent to the support 408. The slot 415 extends radially with respect to the axis of rotation to the ball valve member 376, and at rightangularly spaced locations, the ball face 416 is recessed to form a stop surface 417 and a stop surface 418 cooperable with fixed stop pin surfaces 417a and 418a on the closure 408 to limit rotation of the ball 376 between the extremes of FIGS. 19 and 22. When the ball valve member 376 is in the position of FIG. 19, the stop surface 417 engages the stop lug 417a, thereby limiting rotation of the valve member 376 to the position at which the valve is closed. The stop surface 418 engages the stop lug 418a, as shown in FIG. 22 to limit rotation of the valve member 176 to the position at which the valve is open. Such rotation between the open and closed positions is caused by longitudinal or vertical movement of the valve member 376 relative to the body 336. As previously indicated, the ball member 376 is actuated or shifted longitudinally be longitudinal movement of the upper actuator sleeve 385 and the lower actuator sleeve 378, as indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 20 and 21. The slot 415 is formed in such a manner as to cause such rotation of the valve member 376 as the latter moves vertically or longitudinally within the body 336. Thus, the slot 415 is formed in the valve member 376 by opposed walls which are disposed at a right angle to one another and designated 415a and 415b and which respectively are parallel to the planes of the effective stop surfaces of the lugs 417a and 417b. At the apex of the angle defined between the walls 415a and 415b, the slot opens radially inwardly at 4150. Thus, the relationship between the pin 413 and the wall 415b is such that the ball valve 376 will be rotated from the position of FIG. 19 to the position of FIG. 22 when the valve member 276 moves downwardly relative to the pin 413, and, conversely, the flat wall 415a will engage the pin 413 and rotate the ball valve member from the position of FIG. 22 to the position of FIG. 19 upon upward movement of the valve member 376. However, it will be noted that when the valve member 376 is in the open position of FIG. 22, the pin 413 clears the flat wall 415a so as to allow freedom of longitudinal movement of the ball valve 376 after the stop surface 418 engages the stop 418a, and correspondingly limited free downward movement of the ball valve 376 is permitted when the ball valve is closed as seen in FIG. 19, where the pin 413 clears the slot Wall 4150, and the stop surface 417 engages the stop 417a. Such free or lost motion connection of the ball valve 376 and the rotation pin 413 relieves the connection of damaging forces when the ball valve is in either of its closed or opened positions.

When the ball valve 376 is closed and is to be opened by applying control fluid pressure to the piston chamber 385, there may be substantial differential pressure across the valve tending to hold it closed, and in accordance with the invention, in order to equalize the pressure across the valve, equalizing valve means such as shown in FIG. 9, may be provided for establishing communication between a port 321 below the ball valve 376 and the port 328 above the valve 376.

I claim:

1. In a subsurface shutoff valve for wells adapted to be supported in a well fluid production pipe: a body having a flow passage therethrough; shutoff valve means including a member shiftable between a first position closing said passage and a second position at which said passage is open; actuator means for shifting said member between said positions, including means defining a control fluid pressure chamber for moving said member to said second position and means responsive to the pressure of well fluid in the production pipe for biasing said member to said first position upon reduction in the pressure of control fluid in said chamber; and means providing a fluid by-pass establishing fluid communication between locations in said flow passage on opposite sides of said member, and valve means separate from said shutoff valve means controlling said bypass and having a pressure responsive area subject to the direct application thereto of the pressure of control fluid in said chamber for initially opening said by-pass equalizing the well fluid across said shutoff valve means before said member is moved toward said second position from said first position.

2. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 1, said valve member being a ball having said flow passage therethrough and a spherical sealing surface, said actuator means comprising actuator sleeves movable longitudinally in said body responsive to control fluid pressure in said chamber and to the pressure of well fluid, said actuator sleeves having sealing surfaces engaged with said spherical sealing surface of said ball, and including means for rotating said ball between said first and second positions responsive to longitudinal movement of said actuator sleeves.

3. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 1, said valve member being a ball having said flow passage therethrough and a spherical sealing surface, said actuator means comprising actuator sleeves movable longitudinally in said body responsive to control fluid pressure in said chamber and to the pressure of well fluid, said actuator sleeves having sealing surfaces engaged with said spherical sealing surface of said ball, and including means for rotating said ball between said first and second positions responsive to longitudinal movement of said actuator sleeves, said means for rotating said ball including means for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of movement of said ball to said first andsecond positions.

4. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 1, said valve member being a ball having said flow passage therethrough and a spherical sealing surface, said actuator means comprising actuator sleeves movable longitudinally in said body responsive to control fluid pressure in said chamber and to the pressure of well fluid, said actuator sleeves having sealing surfaces engaged with said spherical sealing surface of said ball, and including means for rotating said ball between said first and second positions responsive to longitudinal movement of said actuator sleeves, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions.

5. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 1, said valve member being a ball havng said flow passage therethrough and a spherical sealing surface, said actuator means comprising actuator sleeves movable longitudinally in said body responsive to control fluid pressure in said chamber and to the pressure of well fluid, said actuator sleeves haviNG sealing surfaces engaged with said spherical sealing surfaces of said ball, and including means for rotating said ball betwen said first and second positions responsive to longitudinal movement of said actuator sleeves, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions and for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of movement of said ball to said first and second positions.

6. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 1, said means defining a control fluid pressure chamber comprising an actuator sleeve reciprocable in said body and engaged with said member to shift the same to one of said positions, said sleeve having piston means responsive to the pressure of fluid in said chamber to shift said sleeve in one direction.

7. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim I, said valve member bein a ball having said flow passage therethrough and a spherical sealing surface, said actuator means comprising an upper actuator sleeve reciprocable in said body above said ball and having a lower end sealing surface engaging said sealing surface on said ball, said actuator sleeve having a piston area exposed to the pressure of control fluid in said chamber to move said actuator sleeve downwardly, a lower actuator sleeve reciprocable in said body said ball and having an upper and sealing surface engaging said sealing surface on said ball, means for biasing said lower actuator sleeve upwardly, and means for rotating said ball between said first and second positions responsive to longitudinal movement of said actuator sleeves correspondingly upwardly and downwardly.

8. In a subsurface shutoff valve assembly as defined in claim 7, said means for biasing said lower actuator sleeve upwardly including a spring.

9. In a subsurface shutoff valve assembly as defined in claim 7, said means for biasing said lower actuator sleeve upwardly including a spring, and a well fluid responsive piston area on said lower actuator sleeve.

10. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 1, said bypass valve means including means defining a bypass passageway opening into said flow passage at opposite sides of said shutoff valve means, a bypass valve chamber communicating with said bypass passageway, normally closed valve in said bypass valve chamber for closing off said passageway, and means responsive to control fluid pressure in said control fluid pressure chamber for opening said normally closed valve.

11. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 10, including a spring biasing said normally closed valve closed.

12. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 10, including a spring biasing said normally closed valve closed, and a member having an area responsive to control fluid pressure opposing said spring.

13. In a subsurface shutoff valve for wells adapted to be supported in a well fluid production pipe: an elon gated outer tubular body; an elongated inner tubular assembly including an upper sleeve and a lower sleeve; a ball valve between said sleeves and having a flow passage therethrough, said ball valve and said sleeves having complemental spherical sealing surfaces; a support for said ball valve fixed in said outer body; cooperable means on said ball valve and said support for rotating said ball valve between first and second positions at which said flow passage is open and closed, respectively, in response to longitudinal movement of said sleeves and said ball valve in opposite directions in said outer body, said upper sleeve and said outer body defining a chamber for control fluid pressure; said upper sleeve having means responsive to the pressure of control fluid in said chamber for moving said sleeves and said ball valve downwardly; said lower sleeve having means responsive to the pressure of well fluid for moving said sleeves and said ball valve upwardly; and means providing a fluid bypass across said ball valve, and valve means controlling said bypass including a valve member in said chamber shiftable from a closed position to an open position in response to the pressure of control fluid in said chamber to equalize well fluid pressure across said ball valve when saidvalve is in said second position to relieve frictionalco-engagement of said complemental sealing surfaces.

14. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in.c|aim 13, said cooperable means for rotating said ball comprising rotary drive means which are released to enable free further longitudinal movement of said sleeve and said ball when said ball is in said positions.

15. In a subsurface shutoff valve for wells adapted to be supported in a well fluid production pipe: a body. having a flow passage therethrough; shutoff valve means including a member shifable between a first position closing said passage and a second position at which said passage is open; actuator means for shifting said member between said positions, including means defining a control fluid pressure chamber for moving said member to said second position and means responsive to the pressure of well fluid in the production pipe for biasing said member to said first position upon reduction in the pressure of control fluid in said chamber; said valve member being a ball having said flow passage therethrough and a spherical sealing surface, said actuator means comprising actuator sleeves movable longitudinally in said body responsive to control fluid pressure in said chamber and to the pressure of well fluid, said actuator sleeves having sealing surfaces engaged with said spherical sealing surface of said ball, and including means for rotating said ball between said first and second positions responsive to longitudinal movement of said actuator sleeves, said means for rotating said ball including means for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of movement of said ball to said first and second positions.

16. In a subsurface shutoff valve is defined in claim 15, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions.

17. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 15, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions and for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of movement of said ball to said first and second positions.

18. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 15, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions and for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of movement of said ball to said first and second positions, and stop members on said ball and on said support for preventing further rotation of said ball when said ball is in said first and second positions.

19. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 15, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions and for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of movement of said ball to said first and se6ond positions, said pin engaging surfaces including cam surfaces disposed at a right angle and at opposite sides of said pin.

20. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 15, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions and for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of spaced relation at opposite sides of said pin. 

1. In a subsurface shutoff valve for wells adapted to be supported in a well fluid production pipe: a body having a flow passage therethrough; shutoff valve means including a member shiftable between a first position closing said passage and a second position at which said passage is open; actuator means for shifting said member between said positions, including means defining a control fluid pressure chamber for moving said member to said second position and means responsive to the pressure of well fluid in the production pipe for biasing said member to said first position upon reduction in the pressure of control fluid in said chamber; and means providing a fluid by-pass establishing fluid communication between locations in said flow passage on opposite sides of said member, and valve means separate from said shutoff valve means controlling said by-pass and having a pressure responsive area subject to the direct application thereto of the pressure of control fluid in said chamber for initially opening said by-pass equalizing the well fluid across said shutoff valve means before said member is moved toward said second position from said first position.
 2. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 1, said valve member being a ball having said flow passage therethrough and a spherical sealing surface, said actuator means comprising actuator sleeves movable longitudinally in said body responsive to control fluiD pressure in said chamber and to the pressure of well fluid, said actuator sleeves having sealing surfaces engaged with said spherical sealing surface of said ball, and including means for rotating said ball between said first and second positions responsive to longitudinal movement of said actuator sleeves.
 3. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 1, said valve member being a ball having said flow passage therethrough and a spherical sealing surface, said actuator means comprising actuator sleeves movable longitudinally in said body responsive to control fluid pressure in said chamber and to the pressure of well fluid, said actuator sleeves having sealing surfaces engaged with said spherical sealing surface of said ball, and including means for rotating said ball between said first and second positions responsive to longitudinal movement of said actuator sleeves, said means for rotating said ball including means for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of movement of said ball to said first and second positions.
 4. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 1, said valve member being a ball having said flow passage therethrough and a spherical sealing surface, said actuator means comprising actuator sleeves movable longitudinally in said body responsive to control fluid pressure in said chamber and to the pressure of well fluid, said actuator sleeves having sealing surfaces engaged with said spherical sealing surface of said ball, and including means for rotating said ball between said first and second positions responsive to longitudinal movement of said actuator sleeves, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions.
 5. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 1, said valve member being a ball having said flow passage therethrough and a spherical sealing surface, said actuator means comprising actuator sleeves movable longitudinally in said body responsive to control fluid pressure in said chamber and to the pressure of well fluid, said actuator sleeves having sealing surfaces engaged with said spherical sealing surface of said ball, and including means for rotating said ball between said first and second positions responsive to longitudinal movement of said actuator sleeves, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions and for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of movement of said ball to said first and second positions.
 6. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 1, said means defining a control fluid pressure chamber comprising an actuator sleeve reciprocable in said body and engaged with said member to shift the same to one of said positions, said sleeve having piston means responsive to the pressure of fluid in said chamber to shift said sleeve in one direction.
 7. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 1, said valve member being a ball having said flow passage therethrough and a spherical sealing surface, said actuator means comprising an upper actuator sleeve reciprocable in said body above said ball and having a lower end sealing surface engaging said sealing surface on said ball, said actuator sleeve having a piston area exposed to the pressure of control fluid in said chamber to move said actuator sleeve downwardly, a lower actuator sleeve reciprocable in said body below said ball and having an upper end sealing surface engaging said sealing surface on said ball, means for biasing said lower actuator sleeve upwardly, and means for rotating said ball between said first and second positions responsive to longitudinal movement of said actuator sleeveS correspondingly upwardly and downwardly.
 8. In a subsurface shutoff valve assembly as defined in claim 7, said means for biasing said lower actuator sleeve upwardly including a spring.
 9. In a subsurface shutoff valve assembly as defined in claim 7, said means for biasing said lower actuator sleeve upwardly including a spring, and a well fluid responsive piston area on said lower actuator sleeve.
 10. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 1, said bypass valve means including means defining a bypass passageway opening into said flow passage at opposite sides of said shutoff valve means, a bypass valve chamber communicating with said bypass passageway, normally closed valve in said bypass valve chamber for closing off said passageway, and means responsive to control fluid pressure in said control fluid pressure chamber for opening said normally closed valve.
 11. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 10, including a spring biasing said normally closed valve closed.
 12. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 10, including a spring biasing said normally closed valve closed, and a member having an area responsive to control fluid pressure opposing said spring.
 13. In a subsurface shutoff valve for wells adapted to be supported in a well fluid production pipe: an elongated outer tubular body; an elongated inner tubular assembly including an upper sleeve and a lower sleeve; a ball valve between said sleeves and having a flow passage therethrough, said ball valve and said sleeves having complemental spherical sealing surfaces; a support for said ball valve fixed in said outer body; cooperable means on said ball valve and said support for rotating said ball valve between first and second positions at which said flow passage is open and closed, respectively, in response to longitudinal movement of said sleeves and said ball valve in opposite directions in said outer body, said upper sleeve and said outer body defining a chamber for control fluid pressure; said upper sleeve having means responsive to the pressure of control fluid in said chamber for moving said sleeves and said ball valve downwardly; said lower sleeve having means responsive to the pressure of well fluid for moving said sleeves and said ball valve upwardly; and means providing a fluid bypass across said ball valve, and valve means controlling said bypass including a valve member in said chamber shiftable from a closed position to an open position in response to the pressure of control fluid in said chamber to equalize well fluid pressure across said ball valve when said valve is in said second position to relieve frictional co-engagement of said complemental sealing surfaces.
 14. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 13, said cooperable means for rotating said ball comprising rotary drive means which are released to enable free further longitudinal movement of said sleeve and said ball when said ball is in said positions.
 15. In a subsurface shutoff valve for wells adapted to be supported in a well fluid production pipe: a body having a flow passage therethrough; shutoff valve means including a member shiftable between a first position closing said passage and a second position at which said passage is open; actuator means for shifting said member between said positions, including means defining a control fluid pressure chamber for moving said member to said second position and means responsive to the pressure of well fluid in the production pipe for biasing said member to said first position upon reduction in the pressure of control fluid in said chamber; said valve member being a ball having said flow passage therethrough and a spherical sealing surface, said actuator means comprising actuator sleeves movable longitudinally in said body responsive to control fluid pressure in said chamber and to the pressure of well fluid, said actuator sleeves having sealing surfaces engaged with said spherical sealing surface of said ball, and including mEans for rotating said ball between said first and second positions responsive to longitudinal movement of said actuator sleeves, said means for rotating said ball including means for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of movement of said ball to said first and second positions.
 16. In a subsurface shutoff valve is defined in claim 15, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions.
 17. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 15, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions and for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of movement of said ball to said first and second positions.
 18. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 15, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions and for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of movement of said ball to said first and second positions, and stop members on said ball and on said support for preventing further rotation of said ball when said ball is in said first and second positions.
 19. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 15, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions and for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of movement of said ball to said first and second positions, said pin engaging surfaces including cam surfaces disposed at a right angle and at opposite sides of said pin.
 20. In a subsurface shutoff valve as defined in claim 15, said means for rotating said ball including a support for said ball, said support and said ball having cooperative pin and pin engaging surfaces for rotating said ball between said first and second positions and for enabling bodily longitudinal movement of said ball with respect to said body during the final increment of movement of said ball to said first and second positions, and stop members on said ball and on said support for preventing further rotation of said ball when said ball is in said first and second positions, said stop members on said ball including surfaces disposed at a right angle to one another and to said pin engaging cam surfaces, and stop members on said support in longitudinally spaced relation at opposite sides of said pin. 